Situation Perception Mediates the Link Between Narcissism and Relationship Satisfaction: Evidence From a Daily Diary Study in Romantic Couples

Research has shown that diverging romantic relationship outcomes of grandiose narcissism can be explained by differential associations of agentic and antagonistic aspects of narcissism. In this study, we wanted to further investigate the underlying mechanisms by examining how narcissists perceive daily situations with their partners. In an online diary, 171 couples reported on 1941 daily situations experienced together. Analyses revealed that agentic narcissism was positively and antagonistic narcissism was negatively related to daily relationship satisfaction. These effects were differentially linked through distinct situation perceptions: Agentic narcissism was positively linked with relationship satisfaction through perceiving daily situations as, for example, containing more romance, sexuality, and love, while antagonistic narcissism was negatively linked with relationship satisfaction through perceiving, for example, more threat, criticism, and accusation. Results are discussed in light of the Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Concept and with respect to person–situation transactions in romantic relationships.

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Situation perception mediates the link between narcissism and relationship satisfaction: Evidence from a daily diary study in romantic couples

10.31234/osf.io/jz3qf ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Katrin Rentzsch ◽

Larissa Lucia Wieczorek ◽

Tanja M. Gerlach

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Romantic Relationship ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Diary Study ◽

Grandiose Narcissism ◽

Romantic Couples ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Relationship Outcomes ◽

Underlying Mechanisms

Research has shown that diverging romantic relationship outcomes of grandiose narcissism can be explained by differential associations of agentic and antagonistic aspects of narcissism. In this study, we wanted to further investigate the underlying mechanisms by examining how narcissists perceive daily situations with their partner. In an online diary, 171 couples reported on 1941 daily situations experienced together. Analyses revealed that agentic narcissism was positively and antagonistic narcissism was negatively related to daily relationship satisfaction. These effects were differentially linked through distinct situation perceptions: Agentic narcissism was positively linked with relationship satisfaction through perceiving daily situations as, for example, containing more romance, sexuality and love, while antagonistic narcissism was negatively linked with relationship satisfaction through perceiving, for example, more threat, criticism, and accusation. Results are discussed in light of the NARC model and with respect to person-situation transactions in romantic relationships.

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Broadening your horizon one day at a time: Relationship goals and exciting activities as daily antecedents of relational self-expansion

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407520911202 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (6) ◽

pp. 1910-1926

Author(s):

Cheryl Harasymchuk ◽

Amy Muise ◽

Chantal Bacev-Giles ◽

Judith Gere ◽

Emily A. Impett

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Intimate Relationships ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Daily Basis ◽

Relational Self ◽

Diary Study ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Motivational Model ◽

Relationship Benefits

Self-expansion in intimate relationships (i.e., broadening one’s perspective through engaging in novel, exciting activities with a partner) has been associated with relationship benefits. The goal of this study was to propose a motivational model of self-expansion to understand what prompts people to engage in self-expanding activities in their relationship on a daily basis. We hypothesized that when people report stronger daily approach relationship goals (i.e., goals focused on pursuing growth, intimacy, and rewards), they would report a greater likelihood of engaging in novel, exciting activities that enhance self-expansion and ultimately promote greater satisfaction in romantic relationships. To test our model, we recruited 122 couples for a 3-week daily diary study. In support of our hypotheses, on days when people (or their partners) reported higher than their usual approach relationship goals, they reported higher relational self-expansion, which was due, in part, to a greater likelihood of engaging in novel, exciting activities with the partner. In turn, higher relational self-expansion was associated with higher daily relationship satisfaction. Our findings have implications for understanding what promotes relationship growth on a day-to-day basis and the outcomes of daily approach-oriented relationship goals.

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Pornography use and romantic relationships: A dyadic daily diary study

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407520940048 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (10-11) ◽

pp. 2802-2821 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Marie-Pier Vaillancourt-Morel ◽

Natalie O. Rosen ◽

Brian J. Willoughby ◽

Nathan D. Leonhardt ◽

Sophie Bergeron

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Sexual Activity ◽

Sexual Desire ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Same Sex Couples ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Pornography Use ◽

Daily Diary Design

Pornography use is now considered a normative sexual activity, including for partnered individuals. Although there are documented positive and negative effects of pornography use on romantic relationships, studies to date suffer from key limitations, narrowing their clinical relevance. Most rely on vague recall measurement that may inadequately capture actual pornography use, and all are exclusively based on mixed-sex couples. This study used a 35-day dyadic daily diary design to examine the associations between an individual’s daily pornography use and their own and their partner’s relationship satisfaction, partnered sexual desire, and probability of partnered sexual activity in mixed-sex and same-sex couples ( N = 217 couples). For women, regardless of partner’s sex, using pornography was associated with their own and their partner’s higher sexual desire and with higher odds of partnered sexual activity. For men, regardless of partner’s sex, using pornography was associated with their partner’s lower sexual desire; for men coupled with women, with lower odds of partnered sexual activity, and for men coupled with men, with higher odds of partnered sexual activity. For all participants, pornography use was unrelated to relationship satisfaction. The current study demonstrated that an individual’s pornography use is associated with same-day couple’s sexual dynamics, with different associations according to users’ and their partners’ sex.

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You seem tired, but so am I: Willpower theories and intention to provide support in romantic relationships

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407519877238 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 738-757 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zoë Francis ◽

Vanda Sieber ◽

Veronika Job

Keyword(s):

Romantic Relationships ◽

Implicit Theories ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Well Being ◽

Romantic Partners ◽

Diary Study ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Mental Resources

Although providing support in romantic relationships is important for the well-being of both partners, providing support can be effortful. People have varying implicit theories about the exertion of effort; limited willpower theorists believe that mental resources become exhausted with use, while nonlimited willpower theorists believe that exerting effort can even prepare you for future exertion. While limited willpower theorists are more likely to experience depletion and limitations themselves, they may also be more likely to perceive and empathize with the depletion and limitations of their romantic partners. We conducted a daily diary study ( N = 363; 1,429 observations) to examine how willpower theories relate to participants’ intentions to support their romantic partners in the evenings. We find that limited theorists report their partners as more tired (predicting more intention to support)—however, limited theorists also report more fatigue and lower mood themselves (predicting less intention to support). Overall, limited willpower beliefs were associated with less, not more, intent to support one’s partner for the rest of the evening. Even if limited willpower theories improve people’s abilities to perceive their partner’s fatigue, at the end of the day, they may not feel they have the mental resources to support their romantic partners.

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Does socially prescribed perfectionism predict daily conflict? A 14-day daily diary study of romantic couples using self- and partner-reports

Personality and Individual Differences ◽

10.1016/j.paid.2013.12.028 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 61-62 ◽

pp. 24-27 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Simon B. Sherry ◽

Dayna L. Sherry ◽

Matthew A. Macneil ◽

Martin M. Smith ◽

Sean P. Mackinnon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Daily Diary ◽

Diary Study ◽

Romantic Couples ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Socially Prescribed Perfectionism

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A daily-diary study on the effects of face-to-face communication, texting, and their interplay on understanding and relationship satisfaction

Computers in Human Behavior Reports ◽

10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100088 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 100088

Author(s):

Monique M.H. Pollmann ◽

Tyler J. Norman ◽

Erin E. Crockett

Keyword(s):

Relationship Satisfaction ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Diary Study ◽

Face To Face ◽

Daily Diary Study

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Exploring how exchange orientation affects conflict and intimacy in the daily life of romantic couples

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407519826743 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 (11-12) ◽

pp. 3575-3587

Author(s):

Shoshana N. Jarvis ◽

M. Joy McClure ◽

Niall Bolger

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Daily Life ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Romantic Partners ◽

Diary Study ◽

Close Monitoring ◽

Costs And Benefits ◽

Romantic Couples ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Exchange Orientation

We test the hypothesis that partners’ tendency to “keep score” in a relationship—as reflected in their exchange orientation—will moderate the effect of daily conflicts on their relationship evaluations. Cohabitating romantic partners ( N = 82 couples) participated in a 28-day daily diary study. Partners higher in exchange orientation showed lower intimacy with their partner on days with conflict compared to days without conflict; the effect was attenuated for partners lower in exchange orientation. This result held even while adjusting for daily negative affect. We conclude that close monitoring of costs and benefits in a relationship, a characteristic of partners with high exchange orientation, may lead partners to overreact to simple daily conflicts, to the detriment of relationship evaluations.

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Exploring how exchange orientation affects conflict and intimacy in the daily life of romantic couples

10.31234/osf.io/dbs8m ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shoshana N Jarvis ◽

M. Joy McClure ◽

Niall Bolger

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Daily Life ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Romantic Partners ◽

Diary Study ◽

Close Monitoring ◽

Costs And Benefits ◽

Romantic Couples ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Exchange Orientation

We test the hypothesis that partners’ tendency to “keep score” in a relationship–as reflected in their exchange orientation–will moderate the effect of daily conflicts on their relationship evaluations. Cohabitating romantic partners (N = 82 couples) participated in a 28-day daily diary study. Partners higher in exchange orientation showed lower intimacy with their partner on days with conflict compared to days without conflict; the effect was attenuated for partners lower in exchange orientation. This result held even while adjusting for daily negative affect. We conclude that close monitoring of costs and benefits in a relationship, a characteristic of partners with high exchange orientation, may lead partners to overreact to simple daily conflicts, to the detriment of relationship evaluations.

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